


Newton's Third Law

by Lexi_the_dragon_muse



Series: Out of chaos, comes order [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-13
Updated: 2014-06-13
Packaged: 2018-02-04 12:15:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1778791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lexi_the_dragon_muse/pseuds/Lexi_the_dragon_muse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.  At least according to Sir Isaac Newton.  Pepper Potts had never appreciated that particular law of physics until Hydra came out of the shadows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Newton's Third Law

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! So, here is the next installment of the Out of Chaos series. Thanks to everyone for their comments and kudos so far! I, alas, still have no beta, so all mistakes are mine....And since I forgot to put this on the other stories, I own nothing except my laptop and my ideas! Enjoy.

**Newton’s Third Law**

 

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.  At least according to Sir Isaac Newton.  Pepper Potts had never appreciated that particular law of physics until Hydra came out of the shadows.  The downfall of S.H.I.E.L.D. had brought about a witch hunt in the intelligence community.  With Maria’s help, Stark Industries was hiring all of the agents that the former assistant director was sure were not Hydra.  And those that were, well Pepper was fully cooperating with authorities to pass that information along.  That didn’t stop them from trying to come after them, but that was why Pepper employed a very well paid legal department.  From the last report that she had gotten from them, they were ecstatic about the free rein that she had given them to deal with the alphabet agencies trying to arrest her people.

It was with those struggles in mind that she had pulled some stings and gotten the heads of the F.B.I. and C.I.A. to agree to a meeting.  She glanced down at her watch.  Half hour before the most important meeting of her life.  “Jarvis?  Where is Darcy?”

“Miss Lewis is on her way up, Miss Potts.  There was an incident in the lab that required her attention.”

“Tony?”

If Jarvis could sigh he would.  Instead, he just replied dryly, “Not only Sir, but Doctors Banner and Foster as well.”

Pepper frowned.  “What happened?”

“I had to put the scientist’s three down for their naps,” Darcy said as she walked into the room.  “Thirty-six hours without sleep is just a recipe for something to blow up.  And I figured that would not be what we wanted to happen when we had the heads of the alphabet agencies in the building.  They can blow something else up tomorrow.”

Pepper didn’t bother to hide her laugh as she shook her head.  “We have half an hour to prepare our arguments.  What information did you get from Hill?” she asked as she gestured for the younger woman to sit.

Darcy carefully lowered herself into a chair, still trying to get used to wearing actual business clothes.  “Hill said she is willing to give up some of the less essential, not that the agencies will know that, private bases that Fury had built.  She also has prepared a list of high ranking agents that she is for certain are Hydra.  She also included a secondary list of politicians that are suspected to be Hydra as well.  No surprise, but Senator Stern is at the top of that list.”

“Always knew that man was evil,” Pepper muttered as she remembered Tony’s dealings with the man. “What are we asking for in return?”

Darcy smiled.  “Lack of interference in Avenger related matters, any intelligence that they have in regards to Hydra and back up support for any missions that we run against Hydra any help required in building a support infrastructure for the Avengers.”

Pepper smiled.  “You mean that we can poach from their analysts.”

Darcy just smirked.  “Between you and me?  I mean, look at us, Pep.  With my bombshell curves and your model-like looks?  We’ll have them eating out of our hands.”

Pepper glanced at Darcy, and conceded.  She was not used to seeing the brunette in business clothes.  She had gone for an almost sexy business look for this meeting.  A gray pencil skirt that hugged her curves, with a simple blush colored blouse and matching grey heels.  Contrasting that, Pepper was wearing a white sheath dress with a matching fitted jacket and her new Jimmy Choo Kalmar Rope sandals.  A gift from Tony after missing yet another board meeting.  “Fashion is a weapon that most men overlook,” she finally said simply.

“Miss Potts, both men are here,” Jarvis said.

Pepper raised an eyebrow.  “Fifteen minutes early, for both of them.  That is unusual.  Jarvis, have them directed to the large conference room on sixty-six.”

“Going for intimidating?” Darcy asked as she rose.

“Going for a show of power.  They will learn today not to underestimate me or you.”  Pepper rose as well.  “We will take our time.  No need for us to drop everything for them.”

“I like the way you think, boss-lady,” Darcy said.  “Coffee?”

Pepper nodded and the two women chatted about fashion as they killed the time.  Fifteen minutes later, they were walking into the conference room, folders and coffee in hand.

“Good afternoon, gentlemen.  Thank you for meeting with us.”

The two men, who could have passed for brothers, rose with identical looks of confidence in their green eyes.  Both were classical handsome with dark hair and symmetrical features and Pepper could tell that both of them were dismissing them immediately.  _Good.  They will learn to never underestimate us again._   The younger of the two rose.  “I am Director Henderson from the F.B.I., Miss Potts.  I don’t believe that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting your…companion.”

Pepper just raised an eyebrow.  “I know who you are, Director.  As well as you, Director Matheson,” she said directing her words to the other man.  “As for my _colleague_ , this is Darcy Lewis.  She is in charge of the Avenger’s Initiative.”

Darcy smiled sweetly.  “Good afternoon, gentlemen.  We asked you here today to come to an understanding.”

“She means that you need to stop harassing my employees,” Pepper shot back coolly. 

“Miss Potts means that we have fully vetted every person who works for Stark Industries and the Avenger’s Initiative.  We have more complete background history on our employees than I bet you do on yours.”

Director Henderson raised his eyebrows.  “I doubt that Miss Lewis,” he said with condescension in his voice.

Darcy just smiled as she tapped a few buttons on her tablet.  Both her and Pepper had come prepared for this meeting.  “Theodore Roosevelt Henderson…” she trailed off.  “Really?  Your parents really named you that?  I am so sorry.  Anyway, Theodore Roosevelt Henderson, born to Alice and Henry Henderson on August 24,1967.  You had quite the wild childhood Teddy.  Multiple arrests for vandalism, petty theft.  Oh and look, possession of an illegal substance.  But that was the seventies, so I can almost sympathize with you there.  Your parents, fed up with your antics, sent you to reform school in ’81.  You stayed there until you graduated in ’85, where you promptly joined the Army.”  She looked up at him, her smile turning to a smirk.  “Need I go on?” she asked as she took in the man’s almost ashen expression.

Director Matheson laughed.  “You ladies are a hoot,” he said.  “What do you need from the C.I.A. and what are you willing to give in return?”

“We need intelligence.  Hydra is not just operating in the United States, but throughout the world.  Hydra has infected many groups, not just S.H.I.E.L.D.  We ask that you share anything necessary gathered by your agency and in return, we will assist with background checks and share any information we have of possible Hydra cells overseas,” Darcy replied calmly.  “And if Director Henderson is over his shock, then we are willing to offer the same to the F.B.I.  In addition, the former assistant director of S.H.I.E.L.D. has created a list of known Hydra operatives that were once part of that organization as well as possible high ranking public officials that we also believe are Hydra.”

Pepper smiled at their flabbergasted expressions.  “Also, if you have any analysts that are just not a great personality fit for either of your agencies, Stark Industries and the Avenger’s Initiative are willing to look into employing them.  And you leave our current employees alone.”

“In other words, you want a partnership and the ability to ship off our troublemakers to you?” Matheson said.

Darcy and Pepper nodded.

“I’m willing, but I do ask for one thing in return.  There have to be former S.H.I.E.L.D. bases worldwide that have not been compromised.  I want access to those as well as the ability to take ownership over them.”

“We have a list of international bases that should fit your needs, Director,” Pepper said smoothly.  “I also have some American ones that we will be sharing with the Department of Defense to see if they would like to use those as well.

“Perfect.  I believe that this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.”

Pepper looked at Henderson.  “And you, Director?”

“What if your employees turn out to be Hydra?”

Pepper narrowed her eyes.  “Then I will do what I’ve been doing since the downfall of S.H.I.E.L.D.  Turn them in.  You see, Director Henderson, I’ve been playing on the up and up here, but you?  You haven’t.  I’ve given you the chance, but you didn’t want to listen.  Do you know why?”

Darcy raised her hand.  “Oh, pick me!  Pick me!”

“Go ahead, Darcy.”

“Well, you see here.  When we were doing our background checks on you, we found several anomalies, Director Henderson.  Namely, several bank accounts that shouldn’t exist.  So, I did a little digging and you dear, dear director have been taking bribes from Hydra for years.  Years!”

Director Henderson just stood, tugging his suit back into place with a smile.  “And what are you going to do about it?” he asked as he pulled a switchblade from his pocket.

Darcy and Pepper looked at each other, before reaching under the table and each pulling a gun.  “Arrest you,” Darcy said.

Henderson laughed.  “You don’t have the authority.”

“Actually, that’s not true.  You see, I had a meeting with the president,” Darcy began calmly, “and he gave the Avenger’s Initiative the authority to arrest anyone connected with Hydra.  So you, dear Mr. Henderson, are under arrest.”

“You think that you can arrest me?” Henderson said with a laugh.

Pepper looked at him.  “You think that we can’t?  You think that there is a way out of this situation.  You’re in a building with the Avengers.  This can’t end well for you.”

“Cut one head off, two more grow back,” he snarled.  “Hail Hydra!”

Darcy and Pepper just said as the man keeled over, foaming at the mouth.  “Damn cyanide capsules.  Why do they keep killing themselves?” Darcy whined as she put the gun down on the table.  She looked at Matheson, whose eyes were wide.  “Sorry for the unpleasantness, Director.”

“Do not be sorry at all.  Ted and I never got along.  As I stated before, I believe this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship.  Give me forty-eight hours and I will have a list of possible analysts for you.”

Darcy smiled.  “And I will send you a list of bases.”

He nodded.  “It has truly been a pleasure meeting with both of you.”

Both women nodded as he left the room.  “Jarvis, will you please contact local authorities about the dead man in our conference room?

“Already done, Miss Potts.  They are now entering the lobby.  I will direct them to your location.”

“Thank you, Jarvis.”  She turned to look at Darcy.  “Well, that went about how I suspected it would.  Do we have a status on Clint?”

Darcy sighed.  “Maria said that a month and a half ago he made contact with her contact, but he went off grid after that.  She said that it’s a good sign, but I just wish I knew for sure.”

“He’ll be fine, Darcy,” Pepper said as police and various medical personnel walked into the room.  Pepper turned her attention to them to fill them in.

#

Four hours later, the police and coroner had finally left the building.  Darcy had changed out of her business attire and back into a comfortable pair of jeans, a sweater and a pair of Docs.  She checked in on Jane, who was miraculously still asleep.  She left her there and went down to the labs to check in on Bruce and Tony.  Bruce was looking more rested than he had since the downfall of S.H.I.E.L.D., calmly looking at samples under his microscope.  “Hey Doc,” she said as she walked in.  “How are you doing?”

Bruce looked up and smiled.  “Better now that you forced me to sleep.  Thank you.”

Darcy just shrugged.  “You are easier to convince than Jane, trust me.  And she is easier to convince than Tony.  I just wanted to make sure that no one tried to blow up the building while Pepper and I had the meeting.  We were right, by the way.  Director Henderson was Hydra.”

Bruce grimaced.  “I wonder how many more there are that we have no idea of.”

“More than we want,” Darcy said with a sigh.  “If we can convince the rest of the alphabet agencies to take a long hard look at their own staff, then that should give us the time we need to solidify our position.”

Bruce just nodded as he turned his attention back to the microscope.

She took that as her signal to go and check on Tony, so with a quiet good-bye she left the lab and walked down the hall to Tony’s.  Even though she couldn’t hear the music she knew was blaring inside, she could feel some of the vibrations on the floor.  “Hey Jarvis, what the decibel level in there?”

“The current decibel level is 88, Miss Lewis.”

Darcy shrugged.  “Can you lower the music once I get in there?  I’d like to be able to talk to your creator without shouting.”

“Certainly,” Jarvis said as the doors slid open in front of her, the volume decreasing dramatically as she walked in the door.

“Hey!” came an indignant shout from within.  “Who’s messing with my music?”

“I am,” Darcy said dryly.  “What are you doing Tony?  Did you even sleep?”

“Couple of hours,” he returned.  “Then I got inspired.  I need to create new equipment for the team.”

She smiled.  “What are you working on now?”

“Some stuff for Legolas once he finally decides to show his ugly mug.”

“Pardon me, Miss Lewis,” Jarvis broke in. “I believe Agent Barton has just arrived.”

“You believe?”

“The handprint and voice recognition match, however the facial features do not.  I believe that it is prudent to have security standing by.  The floor chosen was his residential floor.”

“Understood.  Please have Steve and Natasha waiting at the elevators,” Darcy responded.  “Do you want to come?”

“To stop a potential Hydra threat?  It’s like you don’t even know me, Lewis,” he returned with his hands crossed over his heart.  “I’m wounded.”

Darcy just rolled her eyes and walked out of the lab.

When they got to the elevators, they found Pepper and Maria there was well.  Darcy raised an eyebrow at Maria.

“Before you ask, yes, I’m sure that it’s Clint,” Maria said in response to the silent question.

“How?” Steve asked.

“My contact in Colombia is a skilled make-up artist.  She has been someone on Fury’s personal payroll for years, so I know that she is completely trustworthy.”

“No offense, but how can you know for sure?” Pepper asked.

“This is one of those times when I can’t really tell you because it’s not my story to tell.  Needless to say, I am more than positive.  If she was Hydra, really, the sun would be rising in the west and the sky would be green.”

There wasn’t any time to say anything else as the elevator doors opened.  The man standing there was the same height as Clint, but that was where the familiarities ended.  He had long mahogany hair and his skin was several shades darker that Clint’s.  His nose and chin were also completely different.  He held up his hands.  “Hey guys.  I promise that it’s me.”

Natasha narrowed her eyes.  “What happened in Budapest?”

“We promised never to speak of that again, Tasha.  I’m not gonna start now.”

Natasha nodded, seemingly satisfied with his answer.

“Hill.  Do you have any idea of how to get this stuff off of me?”

Maria nodded and handed over a tube of cream.  “This will dissolve the darkening cream as well as whatever it is that holds the prosthetics on.”

Clint sighed in relief.  “Thank you.  Now, if you don’t mind, I just want a shower and to look like myself again.  Then, Hill, you and I are going to talk.”

Maria nodded.  “I think that everyone should be a part of this talk.  Jarvis, can you arrange for everyone to meet in the common room in about an hour?  Natasha, you might want to go with him to get the weave out of his hair.  You have more experience at that than anyone else here.”

Natasha nodded and followed Clint towards his room.  Maria turned to see the stares of Steve, Tony, Pepper and Darcy and sighed.  “Look, I can tell you some, but not all.”  She raised her hand.  “It’s not because I don’t trust you, Stark.  It’s because, as I said, this is not my story to tell.”

Tony took a breath, but a quick look from Pepper stilled his tongue.  “Fine,” he huffed.  “One hour and be prepared for hard questions.”

#

An hour later, Clint was sighing in relief that he was able to recognize himself in the mirror again.  It had taken Natasha only a few minutes to cut the weave from his hair, but his roots were still the dark brown.  Sighing, he just had her cut it as short as he normally wore it and resolved to find a salon to try and dye it back to his natural color.  He turned to Natasha once back to his normal self.  “So, things have been interesting around here.”

Her right eyebrow rose.  “Indeed,” she said simply.  “I had to dump everything on the internet.”

“Trust me, I know.  We are completely and utterly blown.”

“I’m not sorry.”

Clint laughed.  “I didn’t expect that you’d be.  So, is Fury really dead?”

“What do you think?”

“Of course he isn’t.  The bastard is too mean to die.  But, it’s better that Hydra thinks he is.”  He turned towards the door.  “Can’t wait to see how Hill is going to spin this.”

“Clint, don’t.  She was there with us, taking down the Triskelion.  She destroyed what she had worked so hard for.”

Clint just shrugged as he walked out of his suite.  He tolerated Maria on a good day, but she was almost as bad as Fury with her half-truths.  A lie by omission was still a lie in his eyes.  As he walked into the common room, he found the entire team there, plus a black man he didn’t know and Dr. Foster.  He looked at the man.  “Who are you?”

“Sam Wilson,” he replied.  “I helped bring down the Hellicarriers.”

“Must be an interesting story,” Clint replied as he made eye contact with the rest of the team, before pinning Maria with a glare.  “So tell me, Hill…How the hell did you find a contact in Colombia that was able to get me out of the country without anyone knowing?”

Maria settled back onto a comfortable black leather chair.  “I assume that Natasha has made you aware that Fury is still alive.  She was his contact, not mine.  As to why she was in Colombia, I have no idea.”

“What do you know?” Darcy asked.  “If she is a contact that could help us, I want to know more.”

Maria sighed.  “There is very little to tell.  She was on Fury’s personal payroll.  All I know about here is that when Fury wanted to know something, he called her.  He told me once that she has an ability to be able to infiltrate any group in society.  I don’t even know her name.”

“Then how are we supposed to trust her?” Steve said.

“Fury trusted her.  That says something.”

“Aye, Director Fury was not one to place his trust into someone not worthy of that,” Thor said.  “If she was on the small list of those that he trusted, then I believe that we too can offer the same.”

“No offense, but Fury trusted Pierce, too,” Tony shot back.

“She had plenty of time to kill me.  Six weeks.  If she was Hydra, then I don’t think I would still be here,” Clint responded back.

Darcy nodded.  “Look, Clint is right.  If she were Hydra, then he would be dead.  As the coordinator for this band of Merry Men (and women), then I think that we can tentatively trust her, but we need to learn more.  Maria, do you know if she would be willing to come in?”

“I honestly don’t know, but I will do my best.”

Darcy nodded.  “Good.  Clint, why don’t you tell us how you did managed to get out of Colombia?” she asked as she strove to direct the conversation away from Fury and his web of intrigue.

**Author's Note:**

> So, I have no idea where the thing with Henderson came from. My muse temporarily hijacked the story, but I ended up liking that part, so I kept it. What did y'all think?
> 
> Pepper’s outfit is the same one she was wearing in Iron Man 3, with the exception of the shoes. The link to them is below.
> 
> http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524446673514


End file.
